Participating Countries and International Organizations:
Armenia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Italy, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovak Republic, South Africa. 

Scientific Programme:
Theoretical and experimental research on the biological effect of heavy charged particles with different energies at JINR's basic facilities. 

The research and development will include: 

• Research on the regularities and mechanisms of molecular damage induction and repair in the DNA structure in mammalian and human cells for radiations with different linear energy transfer (LET) in vivo and in vitro. 
  
  
• Obtaining comparative data on the regularities in the induction of gene and structural mutations in mammalian and lower eukaryote cells under exposure to sparsely and densely ionizing radiations with different LET. 
  
  
• Research on the mechanisms of the heavy charged particle (HCP)-induced damage of the eye retina and its repair. 
  
  
• Research on the character of the damage of central nervous system (CNS) cells and regularities of their death. Identification of the HCP-induced functional and morphological disorders in the CNS. 
  
  
• Mathematical modeling of the effects of ionizing radiations with different LET at the molecular and cellular levels. Development and analysis of mathematical models of the molecular mechanisms of ionizing radiation-induced disorders in the CNS structure and functions. 
  
  
• Calculation of shielding for new nuclear physics facilities, evaluation of the radiation environment, and development of radiation safety systems.

Expected main results in 2018:

• To continue studying regularities in the induction, formation, and repair kinetics of HCP-induced clustered DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in human skin fibroblasts and in radioresistant U87 tumor cells. 
  
  
• To evaluate the proportion of different DNA DSB repair pathways in human fibroblasts after exposure to radiations of different quality - by immunocytochemical staining of the repair proteins RAD51 (HR) and DNA PKcs (NHEJ). 
  
  
• To continue studying radiation-induced apoptosis mechanisms. To study the expression of the genes that encode the proteins and caspases participating in apoptosis induction in mammalian cells by HCP. 
  
  
• To study regularities in DNA DSB formation and elimination in rat hippocampus cells in vitro using a primary hippocampus culture from P0-P1 age rats. 
  
  
• Using a Synergy H1m microplate reader, to evaluate the level of the reactive oxygen species and AFA protein kinase in mammalian SIM-A9 microglial cells exposed to gamma-rays and HCP. 
  
  
• To continue studying regularities in the induction of gene and structural mutations in yeast cells by radiations with different LET.
  
  
• To continue research on the mutagenic effect of ionizing radiations on mammalian cells at late times after irradiation. To comare the results of a molecular and cytogenetic analysis of HPRT-mutant subclones. 
  
  
• To continue studying the mechanisms behind the damage and recovery of retinal cells (Mueller glial cells and photoreceptor cells) after radiation exposure. 
  
  
• To study the connections between changes in the functioning of the main neurotransmitter systems and apoptotic death of neurons after radiation exposure. 
  
  
• To continue studying disorders in the exchange of monoamines and their metabolites in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, adjoining nucleus, and hypothalamus of the mouse and rat brain under exposure to ionizing radiations. 
  
  
• To continue the development of mathematical models of neurons' functional activity under exposure to radiations with different LET. 
  
  
• To perform computer modeling of the formation of radiation-induced damage in membrane ion channels and synaptic contacts. 
  
  
• To perform computer modeling of the formation of radiation-induced damage in the cell membrane and cytoskeleton. 
  
  
• To continue the development of of mathematical models of the induction and repair of the key types of DNA damage after HCP exposure. 
  
  
• To continue designing, testing and calibration of nuclear planetary science instruments with fast neutron generators at the LRB's test site. 
  
  
• To ensure the conduction of the radiobiological experiments at the Nuclotron (the Laboratory of High-Energy Physics), U-400M cyclotron (the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions), and the medical beam of the Phasotron (the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems).